Happy Birthday Half of The Monkees!

The updated biography of Michael Nesmith of The Monkees is out, with 75 new photos and 2 new chapters, with details on the 1997 reunion, ABC special and the only known photo of Michael with his father. Buy it online and get free gifts and free shipping!

In our recently published online poll of our readers’ ALL-TIME TOP 20 PSYCHEDELIC SONGS, THE MONKEES were nominated FIVE times!!! Although none of their tracks made the final countdown, votes were cast for ZILCH, FOR PETE’S SAKE, WORDS, PLEASANT VALLEY SUNDAY and DAILY NIGHTLY. DAILY NIGHTLY WAS featured as a bonus track during the month-long series. (I’m sure you all recall the ultra-cool black and white MONKEES’ video for DAILY NIGHTLY that ended a couple of episodes of the series … MICKY DOLENZ, seated at one of the very first Moog Synthesizers ever made, looks at the camera as the very last note resonates and says, “Psychedelic!”)

In related MONKEES news, FORGOTTEN HITS will be running an exclusive interview with RON DANTE next month in which he discusses auditioning for THE MONKEES and working with DON KIRSHNER on THE ARCHIES project. Many of your readers contacted us a year ago when we ran our lengthy TOMMY BOYCE AND BOBBY HART series … and have remained loyal FORGOTTEN HITS readers. Here’s another chance for some of you faithful ’60’s music fans to see what we’re all about. If you’re interested in receiving a copy of the RON DANTE series, please contact: The60sShop@aol.com no later than January 23, 2006!!!

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From: Andrew Sandoval

The UK CD EP recently advertised as Micky Dolenz “Plastic Surgery” is in factcalled “Plastic Symphony” and features the four tracks issued by theChallenge label in 1967. Of the four selections, the two non-Dolenz instrumentaltracks sound like they are dubbed from discs, but “Huff Puff” and “Don’t Do It”appear in very good fidelity – this marks their first official appearance on CD.The liner notes are lame (come on, “Mickey,” if you can’t spell his name righton his own CD…), but it’s cheaper than buying the Challenge originals onvinyl.

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From: Melhi

I’m sad to report that world reknowned banjo player, Bobby Thompson, who isbest known by Monkees fans for his work on Nez’ infamous Monkees NashvilleSessions, (and perhaps also for his later membership in the bands Area Code615 and Barefoot Jerry,) passed away this last May.

Expected:A documentary focusing on the life and career of late singer-songwriterHarry Nilsson sometime next year, Reuters reports. “Who is Harry Nilsson(And Why is Everybody Talkin’ About Him?)” will include appearances byYoko Ono, Randy Newman, Micky Dolenz, Eric Idle, the Smothers Brothers,Brian Wilson and Robin Williams. There also will be excerpts fromNilsson’s recently discovered oral autobiography. Nilsson is probablybest-known for “Everybody’s Talkin’,” the song from “Midnight Cowboy.”

The New Year will find (Andrew)Sandoval revisiting the Monkeescatalogue for a series of double-disc mono/stereo releases; he’ll alsohelm a second seven-disc Everly Brothers box. Palao, meanwhile, iscurrently digging through an archive of garage-rock recorded by NormanPetty in the same Clovis, New Mexico, studio where Buddy Holly helpedinvent rock ‘n’ roll. Now it’s time to help document and reinvent it.